Regular sub floor inspections are essential!

I was called out to conduct a termite inspection in Kedron on the North Side of Brisbane a week or so ago by a concerned customer who had found what he thought to be some termite mud and damage in his front bedroom. I was welcomed at the front door by a friendly gentleman who was very worried as he had lived in his Kedron home for 25 years and had never had a termite infestation before.

I proceeded with the termite inspection and found a medium to large mud pack in one corner of the bedroom and damage in the skirting boards of another corner. After I relayed my findings to the customer I expressed my concerns about his sub floor (the small void under his house). During the inspection of the sub floor I found 5 termite leads/entry points bridging out of the ground into the structure, the termites were eating his hardwood joists and bearers and making their way up into the structure. Most of the termite leads/tunnels were around the thickness of my thumb however one of them was easily the width of my wrist, this is the one below the mud pack in the corner of the bedroom.

Although my customer had been in the sub floor himself on various occasions over the past year or so to do some repairs on a leaking pipe under his bathroom he had not been to the front corner of the sub floor and therefore had not noticed the termite activity/damage. Its a very easy thing to miss if you aren’t used to the signs.

As a result, I recommended no greater than 6 month – 12 month inspections for this home and to any home with a low sub floor especially if you are unsure about ventilation and drainage or if you have had any leaks in this area.